Guard rails on trucks proposed to improve safety
Report recommends retrofitting City vehicles
City of Toronto staff report aims to improve pedestrian and cyclist safety by adding side guards to City-owned heavy-duty vehicles
City of Toronto staff are recommending actions to improve pedestrian safety by adding side guards to City-owned heavy-duty vehicles. A staff report to the Infrastructure and Environment committee on November 27 recommends retrofitting the City’s heavy-duty vehicles by 2026.
Side guards are protective railings or bars mounted on the sides of large trucks between the axles to help prevent individuals from being pulled under the wheels of a truck during a collision. Research indicates that side guards could reduce cyclist fatalities by approximately 62 per cent, pedestrian fatalities by 20 per cent and serious injuries for cyclists by six per cent.
While there are no federal or provincial requirements for vehicles to be fitted with side guards, the City is taking bold leadership to implement side guards on City vehicles.
Implementation of side guards on City vehicles
As part of the City’s Vision Zero program (www.toronto.ca/visionzero) and Toronto City Council direction to report on feasibility, staff recommend retrofitting suitable commercial City fleet vehicles with side guards.
The City has already taken proactive action to implement side guards, including adding them to all new vehicles purchased. Over 30 City vehicles are already equipped with side guards and staff will continue to identify and prioritize remaining vehicles suitable for retrofitting using a risk-based approach.
It is estimated that 219 of 500 heavy-duty vehicles will be retrofitted between December 2024 and December 2025, with all suitable vehicles retrofitted by December 2026.
This report also recommends City staff share best practices learned from retrofitting side guards on City owned commercial vehicles with City Agencies and Corporations to encourage the implementation of additional safety measures on heavy-duty vehicles.
The report, Feasibility of Requiring Side Guards on all Commercial Trucks Operating in the City of Toronto, Including Retrofitting the City’s fleet can be found on the City’s website at: https://secure.toronto.ca/council/agenda-item.do?item=2024.IE18.5
